Enrich the experience manifold

The transformation of mobile gaming has been nothing short of a revolution in the last decade, as we have made our way from candy-bars to flips and now to humongous slabs of premium glass. The very nature of our interactions and interfacing have evolved as we have moved from helter-skelter button squishing to more nuanced taps, swipes and other gesture-based movements.

Gaming content too has moved from the early days of Snake in dual-color (Nokia 2100 and 1100 anyone?) to impressively rendered worlds of graphical fidelity as mobile/touch-based platforms have become the most popular gaming platforms. This week, we are looking at key elements to consider if you are considering to upgrade your mobile gaming device.

The Screen

Any look at a modern smartphone will tell you that the screen is the most important facet. It is where you see, provide inputs and observe the output all in a fraction of seconds. Always make sure to get a phone where the screen is buttery smooth and extremely responsive. You don’t want to be stuck at a crucial situation on level 99 if your screen can’t register your frenzied taps.

Display

A good display with a sharp resolution and good colour calibration is a must, but however please keep in mind that the sharpness of the resolution also affects battery life. While QHD (1440p) displays are the norm with flagships today, a full HD (1080p) display may serve your phone and gaming pursuits better in terms of longevity.

Processor

The Snapdragon 845 is the pick of mobile silica this year and it is a remarkable chip in terms of raw power; its ability to multitask and switch between apps especially stands out. However, it isn’t exactly the most power efficient processor, there are better alternatives around, if you are seeking value for money and an extended gaming experience.

Battery

The most crucial element in the mix, I don’t have to tell you the importance of a large battery if you are a frequent gamer. Gaming apps are often the most power hungry and demanding applications on a phone. Keep in mind the better a game looks and feels the more juice, it is likely to drain. So always look out for the MAH rating before you make a purchase (A higher rating is always better).

Lastly, mobile phones aren’t as modular or customisable as PCs; implying you can’t swap parts to your liking. So, I recommend not looking only at numbers (like RAM and Storage size) but to look at all things closely as the final experience is often dependent on all the internals being carefully optimised. There is no point in having exorbitant amounts of RAM or an extraordinary screen, if the processor or battery can only do so much.